Quick Sip - Monte Carlo
Put that Benedictine to frequent use
In my house, we have two go-to cocktails: the Negroni, and the Monte Carlo. If I’m uninspired or unsure what to make, I usually go with one of those. The Negroni should be no surprise here; after all, that was my first-ever cocktail post.
But the Monte Carlo is significantly lesser-known, and, for my money, under-appreciated. And now that you’ve added Benedictine to your home bar, I’m hoping you can help me rectify this great injustice.
The Monte Carlo Cocktail
To me, the Monte Carlo is the exact midpoint between an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan. It’s certainly sweeter than the Fremont (this month’s Cocktail of the Month and riff on the classic), but it’s not nearly as sweet as many Old Fashioneds can be. The recipe (if not the ratio) looks just like either of those drinks, though:
2 oz whiskey (ideally overproof rye)
0.5 oz sweetener (Benedictine)
2 dash bitters (ideally Peychaud’s)
Let’s break that down piece-by-piece quickly.
The Whiskey - Overproof Rye
Overproof really just means “more than ~90”, and for whiskey in the USA that likely means that the whiskey is bonded. And really all that means is that the whiskey was all made in the same season at a single distillery, aged at least 4 years, and bottled with at least half the bottle being alcohol. For my money, the best bang for your buck on a bonded rye is Old Overholt. It’s so good.
The high alcohol content is important here - high-proof rye is very spicy (from the grain itself) and very “hot” meaning you’ll taste the alcohol burn directly. That can also taste slightly sour. The intensity here is why this drinks drier than most Old Fashioneds.
The Sweetener - Benedictine
The Dr. Pepper of liqueurs, Benedictine is sweet without being syrupy. Sweeter and spicier than most sweet vermouths, the resultant cocktail has a heavy baking spice character and fits well after dinner.
The Bitters - Peychaud’s
Angostura is more traditional here, but for me the baking spices compete too much with the Benedictine. The heavier minty character in Peychaud’s makes it a better fit for this cocktail, accenting the liqueur rather than competing with it.
